4.7 • 10.9K Ratings
🗓️ 29 August 2025
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Greg Jenner is joined in medieval Scandinavia by historian Dr Eleanor Barraclough and comedian Chloe Petts to learn about the fascinating women of the Viking age. The popular stereotype of the Vikings is pretty macho: bearded men on boats, heading out to raid, pillage and burn down monasteries. There are some famous images of Viking warrior women: shieldmaidens, Valkyries and various goddesses. But what about the lives led by ordinary women in medieval Scandinavia and across the Viking world? In this episode we look at the real history behind the myths and stereotypes, exploring daily life for Viking women: their roles as wives and mothers, the work they did as weavers and healers, the gods they prayed to, the archaeological traces they left behind, as well as the sad reality that many women in the Viking world were enslaved. We also look at women who lived lives out of the ordinary – as queens, sorceresses, and warriors. If you’re a fan of feminist history, the intimate details of daily life in the past, and fantastical myths and legends, you’ll love our episode on Viking Women. If you want to know more about the Vikings, check out our episodes on Leif Erikson and Old Norse Literature. And for more fearsome warrior women, there’s our episode on Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba. You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Clara Chamberlain Written by: Clara Chamberlain, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars
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| 0:00.0 | I'm Rory Stewart and I grew up wanting to be a hero and I'm still fascinated by the ideas of heroism. |
| 0:09.0 | In my new series, I'm taking in the long sweep of history from Achilles to Zelensky and asking, what is a hero? |
| 0:16.0 | Simply doing your job, being a decent human being. |
| 0:20.0 | A true hero is someone who just kind of shines by |
| 0:23.1 | their own light and that light is to be recognised by others. The long history of heroism with me, |
| 0:28.6 | Rory Stewart. Listen on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Hello, Greg here. |
| 0:37.9 | Just a reminder, before we get going, that episodes of Your Dead to Me are released on Fridays |
| 0:41.9 | wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:43.8 | But if you're in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes 28 days earlier than |
| 0:48.8 | anywhere else, first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:53.2 | Hello, and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history |
| 0:57.3 | seriously. My name is Greg Jenner. I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster. And today |
| 1:02.1 | we are loading our loom weights and launching our longship as we sail back to medieval |
| 1:06.4 | Scandinavia to learn all about Viking women. And to help us, we have two very special guests. |
| 1:11.9 | In History Corner, she's a historian, writer and broadcaster based at Bath Spa University, |
| 1:16.4 | where her research focuses on the cultures, literatures and languages of the medieval North. |
| 1:21.3 | You may have read her sensational new book, Embers of the Hands, Hidden Histories of the Viking Age. |
| 1:25.5 | It's a wonderful book. |
| 1:26.3 | And you will definitely remember her. |
| 1:27.7 | From our episode on Leif Erikson, is Dr. Eleanor Baraklough. |
| 1:30.5 | Welcome back, Eleanor. |
| 1:31.4 | Yay, thank you so much for having me back. Delighted to have you back. And in Comedy Corner, they're an award-winning... Sorry, and in Comedy Corner, they're an award-nominated stand-up comedian. When it comes to awards, I am famously always the bridesmaid, never the bride. |
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